Spaniards lock horns over bullfighting protests

Spanish bullfighter Antonio Ferrera plants two 'banderillas', sharp sticks, into his first bull of the evening on the occasion of the bullfight held for the Fall Fair at Las Ventas bullring in Madrid, Spain, October 6, 2013. EPA/PACO CAMPOS

Bullfighting in Spain will continue to air during children's television programming, after a Spanish parliamentary committee rejected a proposal from left-wing opposition members. The proposal would have banned showing bullfights on national broadcaster Television Espanola (TVE) during viewing hours for children, between 6pm and 10pm.

The ban's defeat follows a vote by Spanish parliament to give bullfighting a protected cultural heritage status, after a petition in support of the measure received 600,000 signatures.

The decisions were criticised by many online and on the streets. A recent anti-bullfighting protest in Zaragoza drew large crowds.

Despite bullfighting's history in Spain, it remains controversial and has been banned in some parts of the country. Spain's parliament has been targeted with competing petitions on bullfighting. One calling for a ban on bullfighting reportedly received 85,000 signatures, while a petition in support of protecting bullfighting's cultural heritage status received 600,000 signatures. However, an anti-bullfighting petition on change.org, which specifically calls for an end to bullfighting in the city of A Coruna, has received almost 40 thousand signatures.

Dile al Ayuntamiento de A Coruña: BASTA de corridas de toroschange.org

Many online have compared the practise to torture. Some used the hashtag #TorosSiTorerosNo (Yes to bulls, no to bullfighters) to protest bullfighting.